The first question you might be asking is ‘what is an NPC?’ If you’re a gamer, you already know. But if not, an NPC is a ‘nonplayer character.’ They are the people and creatures that are not other online human players.
And your avatar will run across them throughout the gaming world. Some interact with gamers to make the game more interesting. An NPC might give you a clue to a secret or offer your character a special pass to leverage your chances of moving ahead. Some might even misdirect you onto another path. Their purpose is limited, and an NPC can be helpful or not.
We can run into NPC-type relationships in our own lives, too. Think of the fast food server or the ticket taker at a concert. They might also be the person who steals your bike. Yes, they are real people, but in your personal life, they are not the leading players, even if some leave a larger impact than others. In the world of smog testing and repair, California has its own kind of NCPs to watch out for: undercover cars by the Bureau of Automotive Repair. If you managed to smog check one, you may be dealing with an accusation letter that could pull you out of the smog testing world.
The person who comes in with an undercover car isn’t there for the real purpose of your job; to help smog test and pass a qualified vehicle. They are there to catch a smog technician doing something wrong. But technicians don’t know that until later, when a Bureau of Auto Repair citation shows up explaining the outcome of the smog test. That’s when you realize you weren’t helping a ‘real’ customer.
This can seem sneaky, but it’s not illegal. The BAR’s job is to go after unrepentant smog testing businesses in California. In some cases, they get it right, like the recent sting where nefarious smog testers used an OBDNator cheating device to pass high-emissions cars. Unfortunately, there are not enough ‘bad guys’ in the smog business and the BAR needs to continue proving its relevance. That’s where undercover cars by the Bureau of Automotive Repair come in.
Speak to a Real Lawyer and Protect your Smog Team
Undercover cars are not designed to pass, but there are some sneaky things they do to ensure a technician passes it. And when a citation letter shows up and it isn’t addressed by expert legal support, it could be ‘game over’ for an honest smog technician! This can be frustrating to any smog technician and shop owner. Plus, if your shop is STAR certified, it feels like a real slap in the face! The undercover car has now diverted a smog shop’s focus because it has to defend against a smog testing accusation.
This isn’t the time to play guessing games and manage a Bureau of Auto Repair letter alone. Here are three reasons why;
- Tight deadlines, if they are missed it can result in more penalties for a smog testing and repair shop.
- Lack of knowledge about undercover car strategies used by the BAR. How can you defend against their charges if you don’t know all their sneaky little tricks?
- Inability to adequately address all the evidence presented by a BAR lawyer. Their undercover car ‘tricks’ will be the evidence they use to bring your STAR-certified shop down.
It is always the Bureau of Auto Repairs’ goal to ‘win’ at smog testing accusations. And the game can feel rigged to a smog business, but our legal team knows all the tricks and diversions undercover cars use to mislead an honest smog technician.